Tuesdays With Special Dog..... Fall...2016:
OK....we're sitting around a table having coffee...no....let's make it a little more interesting...it's Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on a cold and rainy fall evening. We are sitting in a Starbucks drinking a caramel frappuccino (you) and a coffee (me)....wait, I hate Starbucks coffee.... I'm drinking a latte. There are no orange, yellow and red leaves to look at but with a little imagination the bright red, yellow and orange raincoats on the ladies walking by can be as enjoyable, and the neon lights mirroring off the oil slicked avenue can be as a wide mountain stream reflecting the colors of an aurora in the low hanging clouds.
We already talked about the weather, and the election, and the weirdo walking by in sandals, checkered Bermuda shorts, and a tee-shirt that reads 'HARVARD LAW.' We still have some time, and since you brought up all the other subjects, I get my turn. I'll name you 'John.' Is that Ok? Or 'Mary' if you have two of the same gonosomes. I guess that today you can go by whatever you feel like...
Me......"John, whatdyasay we talk a little Bible prophesy?"
John...."Oh...this is where you tell me the world is coming to an end. OK."
Me......"I don't think I ever put it that way, No, I just want to bring up one verse. It's one of those where we don't know the exact meaning yet. It's rather one of those that we are to think about until it does become clear."
John....."What's the verse?"
Me......."Ist Thessalonians 5:3...'While people are saying, "There is Peace and safety," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."
John....."As I said....the world is coming to an end."
Me......."OK, I'm serious now John. You've read it many times. Whatdaya think it means?"
John....."I think it means that there will be a time when everything is just hunky dory, (John or Mary are probably in their late 60s) and that's when Jesus will come back."
Me......."If that's the case then it would have to be quite a few years if not decades from now, for there certainly is no peace in the foreseeable future....right?"
John....."That's my take on it Special Dog but I gotta a feeling that you don't see it that way?"
Me......."No I don't quite see it that way John. And quit calling me Special Dog! I've been mulling this verse around for a number of years. John, I'm seeing a perceived peace after a catastrophe....probably a war....but maybe something else"
John....."OK but what's the point.....years from now or.....oh.....I get your point. Your interpretation does away with the extended time period?"
Me......."Yeah that's it... but again...it's not an interpretation....just thoughts over coffee."
John...."Your drinking a latte!"....sorry....go ahead."
Me......"There's a pretty big distinction there John. I have a gut feeling that one of the problems that we have in the church today is that this verse....and another one actually....Luke 12:40 I believe it is...Jesus is speaking to Peter concerning a parable He had just given..."You must also be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." John... we will cede the possibility that if a nuclear war or any major catastrophe comes then maybe Jesus is indeed at the doorstep....but since we can't see catastrophe coming....we can't see Jesus coming soon either! But...if something does happen and then the dust settles....and the long sought after one-world government comes about...it's then that most everyone will surely say 'peace and safety...at last'.....and it may be that time that these verses are speaking to?
John...."OK, let me get this straight...you think that the 'peace and safety' comes after a war....and not before as everyone right now presumes?"
Me......"I'm just postulating John...something to think about....as I said, it may not be a war. I'm looking at this verse...these verses...as something that God gave us to meditate upon. We need to be prepared right now...this I do bring up just about every time we meet....but we also need to be prepared for certain contingencies!"
John....looking at his watch...."Well, nice as always Special Dog..."
Me....."Don't call me Special Dog!"
John..."Same time next Tuesday? Providing we haven't had a war by then?"
Me....."Yeah...same time next Tuesday.....Lord willing!"
OK....we're sitting around a table having coffee...no....let's make it a little more interesting...it's Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on a cold and rainy fall evening. We are sitting in a Starbucks drinking a caramel frappuccino (you) and a coffee (me)....wait, I hate Starbucks coffee.... I'm drinking a latte. There are no orange, yellow and red leaves to look at but with a little imagination the bright red, yellow and orange raincoats on the ladies walking by can be as enjoyable, and the neon lights mirroring off the oil slicked avenue can be as a wide mountain stream reflecting the colors of an aurora in the low hanging clouds.
We already talked about the weather, and the election, and the weirdo walking by in sandals, checkered Bermuda shorts, and a tee-shirt that reads 'HARVARD LAW.' We still have some time, and since you brought up all the other subjects, I get my turn. I'll name you 'John.' Is that Ok? Or 'Mary' if you have two of the same gonosomes. I guess that today you can go by whatever you feel like...
Me......"John, whatdyasay we talk a little Bible prophesy?"
John...."Oh...this is where you tell me the world is coming to an end. OK."
Me......"I don't think I ever put it that way, No, I just want to bring up one verse. It's one of those where we don't know the exact meaning yet. It's rather one of those that we are to think about until it does become clear."
John....."What's the verse?"
Me......."Ist Thessalonians 5:3...'While people are saying, "There is Peace and safety," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."
John....."As I said....the world is coming to an end."
Me......."OK, I'm serious now John. You've read it many times. Whatdaya think it means?"
John....."I think it means that there will be a time when everything is just hunky dory, (John or Mary are probably in their late 60s) and that's when Jesus will come back."
Me......."If that's the case then it would have to be quite a few years if not decades from now, for there certainly is no peace in the foreseeable future....right?"
John....."That's my take on it Special Dog but I gotta a feeling that you don't see it that way?"
Me......."No I don't quite see it that way John. And quit calling me Special Dog! I've been mulling this verse around for a number of years. John, I'm seeing a perceived peace after a catastrophe....probably a war....but maybe something else"
John....."OK but what's the point.....years from now or.....oh.....I get your point. Your interpretation does away with the extended time period?"
Me......."Yeah that's it... but again...it's not an interpretation....just thoughts over coffee."
John...."Your drinking a latte!"....sorry....go ahead."
Me......"There's a pretty big distinction there John. I have a gut feeling that one of the problems that we have in the church today is that this verse....and another one actually....Luke 12:40 I believe it is...Jesus is speaking to Peter concerning a parable He had just given..."You must also be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." John... we will cede the possibility that if a nuclear war or any major catastrophe comes then maybe Jesus is indeed at the doorstep....but since we can't see catastrophe coming....we can't see Jesus coming soon either! But...if something does happen and then the dust settles....and the long sought after one-world government comes about...it's then that most everyone will surely say 'peace and safety...at last'.....and it may be that time that these verses are speaking to?
John...."OK, let me get this straight...you think that the 'peace and safety' comes after a war....and not before as everyone right now presumes?"
Me......"I'm just postulating John...something to think about....as I said, it may not be a war. I'm looking at this verse...these verses...as something that God gave us to meditate upon. We need to be prepared right now...this I do bring up just about every time we meet....but we also need to be prepared for certain contingencies!"
John....looking at his watch...."Well, nice as always Special Dog..."
Me....."Don't call me Special Dog!"
John..."Same time next Tuesday? Providing we haven't had a war by then?"
Me....."Yeah...same time next Tuesday.....Lord willing!"
